Hey, that's really something. Di you write much poetry? ... View more

The answer to your question is "Yes." Keep on doing it. There will be people in Melbourne to talk to as well. I had the bum bag thing for three courses of chemo. It was attached for four days, then three weeks off. The first week fatigue was just amazing. You have experienced the same thing. I used to call the bum-bag unit "Malcolm" because whenever it pumped a few mil into my arm it made a little noise that reminded me of the movie Malcolm. Have you seen it? John Hargreaves and Colin Friels, I think? Anyway, they have a pillar ashtray on wheels that they move around a bank with a remote control. It had a camera in it to help them rob the bank. And whenever it moved it made exactly the same noise as my chemo pump. So it became "Malcolm". H ... View more

Early last December a chook escaped into the backyard vegies. It was told not to be so naughty and put back in the cage with the others. It escaped again. It was given a good spanking and put in the freezer for fifteen minutes. When it was taken out is kept saying "OK. OK. OK. I'll be good, I'll be good. What did the turkey do wrong?" ... View more

it's not about the bike ... View more

I have had cause to think about that difficult conversation being had with my (older) children. I recall it clearly because you took me back there by the hand. I cannot think of anything better for my four to have experienced in those circumstances than what you have described. As the counsellor says, they will be having their own thoughts and feelings. You've created the environment for that beautifully. That leaves you. You need to take care of yourself here. For their benefit. For his benefit. Have a focus on that as well. We'll listen. H ... View more

This thread is now absolute rubbish PS. Your irrational world view has little to do with us here in Australia, as evidenced by the single unsubstantiated mention of Australia in paragraph 7 of your diatribe. I actually resent the way you are using this site. ... View more

I think the conservative response to Obama's proposed health reforms has been disgraceful. I have a multidisciplinary team ten minutes from home and most days I thank God I don't live in USA where many people get confused by complex discussions that have both public policy and individual liberty aspects. ... View more

You needed information from the oncologist, not your friend. That's what I meant to say, but I was clumsy about it. My wife and I have had to work through the same things in relation to my condition (multiple myeloma). I tend to go with what the oncologist has to say (given that I do trust him) so I don't independently come to a view about a report. My wife sees it differently. She feels left out if I put the phone down and say 'All fine' or 'no change' when she wants to know the answer to a particular question that had occurred to her. It has been a good power struggle to work through as I am now better able to consider her information needs and at the same time still say 'It's my illness, I'll decide how much to say'. I also think that she's better able to see that I process things differently to her. Seeing it as an information need helped me. She's the one who identified that as the issue. H ... View more

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And in addition: One of the few thing Greg can control at the moment is information about his condition. You have information needs, too, but the friend doesn't. Work out a way, together, for both of you to get the information you need. Then what he says to a friend won't rankle with you so much. ... View more

We had lodgers from overseas, whom we didn't know, staying with us for a conference. At dinner one night I mentioned I was on sick leave from work and pretty much left it at that. Afterwards my wife said she was surprised I didn't 'tell the truth'. I said I was being courteous to our guests (who were not referred to us via personal contacts) as I didn't consider cancer a dinner table conversation. What does one do? I decided long ago that once I knew 'the truth' about something I would start making things up that would better represent that truth. Writing it down is telling the truth, don't you think, kymg?. ... View more